1. Above all-THROW STRIKES!
90% of baseball is pitching, and 90% of pitching is throwing strikes. It is impossible to emphasize enough how important it is to throw strikes, especially the use of the whole plate for the strike zone, which means both up and down plus in and out. Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver used to drive his great pitching staffs nuts by constantly screaming from the dugout: "Throw strikes!" It’s the whole ballgame, because it is such a winner.

2. Learn your position
The moment the pitcher releases the ball he becomes a fielder with all the responsibilities that go with it. It means ending the delivery in a ready position to field the ball and knowing, when the ball is hit, where to go to back up the play or cover first base.

3. Win on any pitch, but only lose on your best pitch.
What does this mean? It means when it comes to crunch time, where it is down to one pitch, go with your best pitch, which is the one you have the best chance of throwing a strike, (usually a fastball). Even if the hitter is a dead fastball hitter, if your best pitch is a fastball you go with it. Yes, sometimes you can give up the winning hit but most times you will be the winner. Also, you will never have to second guess yourself because you went with your best.
REMEMBER , EVEN THOUGH YOU WILL BE VERY TEMPTED, THIS IS NEVER THE TIME TO EXPERIMENT WITH YOUR NEW TRICK PITCH. GO WITH YOUR BEST.

4. Work fast.
Next to throwing strikes, Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins believed working fast was the most important element for success, because it kept his players literally more on their toes, plus more concentrated, knowing that, as soon as Fergie got the ball, a pitch would very soon follow—so you had better be ready! The same applies at all levels of baseball. Pitchers who work slow have bad defense for a reason, it is harder to stay concentrated, hence easier to be on your heels when the ball is hit.

5. Keep the ball down.
Two good reasons. 1) It's lot tougher to hit,  2) It's the best way to throw groundballs, which helps keep the ball in the yard and makes the "pitcher's best friend," the double play, possible.

6. Change speeds.
The more off balance you can keep the hitter the better, and the only way to do this is to change speeds on all pitches. Learn this early and keep building on it for continued success.

7. Learn to bunt.
Being a good bunter will add at least one or two more wins a year for any starting pitcher. Lesson one: Get as far up In the batter's box as you can (see my hitting video on how to bunt).

8. Disdain “batters.”
There’s a big difference between a real “hitter” and just another “batter” in the lineup. Learn to spot that difference. When the bed wetters come up to bat, don’t waste any time on them. Challenge them with your very best stuff, and throw nothing but strikes.

9. Respect “hitters.”
Move the ball constantly. Make them work hard by going up and in, and down and away. Use less of the plate. Respect their ability, but never fear them.

10. Concentrate!

It starts and ends here.